How to Export All Your Keap Contacts for an Offline Backup in 7 Simple Steps

In the fast-paced world of business, your contact database is a critical asset. For users leveraging Keap (formerly Infusionsoft), maintaining an offline backup of your contacts is not just a best practice; it’s a strategic necessity for data security, business continuity, and peace of mind. While Keap provides robust cloud-based storage, having a local copy safeguards against unforeseen service interruptions, accidental deletions, or the need to migrate data. This comprehensive guide, crafted by the automation experts at 4Spot Consulting, walks you through the precise steps to ensure your valuable Keap contact information is securely backed up and readily accessible, whenever you need it.

Step 1: Log In to Your Keap Account

The first and most fundamental step is to securely access your Keap application. Open your preferred web browser and navigate to the Keap login page. Enter your registered username and password into the designated fields. It is crucial to ensure you are logging into the correct account, especially if your organization manages multiple Keap instances. After successfully inputting your credentials, click the “Log In” button. This action will grant you access to your Keap dashboard, which serves as the central hub for all your CRM activities and data management. Always prioritize strong, unique passwords and consider enabling two-factor authentication for an added layer of security to protect your sensitive business data.

Step 2: Navigate to the Contacts Section

Once you are successfully logged into your Keap account, locate the main navigation menu, typically positioned on the left-hand side or at the top of your dashboard. Within this menu, you will find a direct link or option labeled “Contacts.” Click on this link to proceed. This action will take you to the primary contact management screen, which displays a comprehensive list of all the contacts currently stored within your Keap CRM. This is the starting point for any contact-related operations, including the export process. Familiarizing yourself with this interface will streamline future data management tasks and ensure you can quickly access the information you need.

Step 3: Filter or Segment Your Contacts (Optional but Recommended)

Before initiating the export, it’s highly recommended to review and potentially filter your contacts if you don’t need to export your entire database. Keap offers powerful segmentation tools that allow you to refine your contact list based on specific criteria such as tags, lead source, last activity, or custom fields. Utilize the search bar and filter options available on the contacts page to select only the contacts relevant to your backup needs. For example, you might want to back up only active clients, or contacts from a specific campaign. This step ensures that your exported file is clean, organized, and contains precisely the data you intend to back up, reducing clutter and making future data restoration or migration simpler.

Step 4: Initiate the Export Process

With your desired contact list displayed (either filtered or the full database), it’s time to begin the export. Look for an “Actions” or “Export” button, often located near the top of the contact list or within a dropdown menu. In Keap, this is typically found by selecting the contacts you wish to export (or checking the “select all” box if exporting everything) and then looking for an “Actions” menu. From the “Actions” dropdown, choose the “Export” option. Clicking this will prompt Keap to prepare for the data export, leading you to a configuration screen where you will define the specifics of your export file. This action is the gateway to generating your offline backup file.

Step 5: Configure Export Settings

The export configuration screen provides crucial options to customize your backup file. Here, you’ll specify which contact fields you wish to include in your export. Keap typically presents a list of available fields, ranging from basic contact information (name, email, phone) to custom fields, tags, and campaign history. It’s advisable to select all relevant fields to create a comprehensive backup, especially if this is your primary offline archive. Ensure you select data points critical for your operations. You may also be prompted to choose the export format, with CSV (Comma Separated Values) being the most common and universally compatible option for spreadsheets and other CRM systems. Carefully review your selections before proceeding to ensure data integrity.

Step 6: Download Your Exported Data

Once you’ve configured your export settings and initiated the process, Keap will begin compiling your data. Depending on the size of your contact database, this may take a few moments. Keap will typically notify you when the export file is ready, often sending an email with a download link or providing a direct download prompt within the application itself. Click the provided link to download the CSV file to your local computer. It is critical to save this file in a secure and easily accessible location on your hard drive or a cloud storage service like Dropbox or Google Drive. Make a note of the file’s name and location for future reference, ensuring you can quickly retrieve it when needed.

Step 7: Verify and Secure Your Backup

After successfully downloading your Keap contacts, the final and perhaps most important step is to verify the integrity of your backup and ensure its security. Open the downloaded CSV file using spreadsheet software like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. Review a sample of the data to confirm that all expected contacts and fields have been exported correctly and that the data is readable and accurate. Once verified, store the file in a secure location. Consider encrypting the file or storing it on an external hard drive or a secure cloud service with robust access controls. Regular backups are essential, so establish a routine for exporting your Keap contacts periodically to keep your offline archive up-to-date and reliable. This proactive approach ensures your business is resilient against data loss.

If you would like to read more, we recommend this article: Keap Data Recovery: The 5-Step Checklist for HR & Recruiting Firms